March/April 2000 Volume 19, Number 2

THE BI-MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF THE PRAYER BOOK SOCIETY

A New Kind of Flying Bishop?

Archbishop Moses Tay

John Rodgers Chuck Murphy

Archbishop Emmanuel Kolini

Two American citizens who are priests of the Episcopal Church are now also fly-in Bishops from Asia and Africa.

See inside pages 2ff. for details and comment.

THE LIVING PAST FOR THE PRESENT AND INTO THE FUTURE SINGAPORE CONSECRATIONS

o understand the background to the Consecrations in Singapore on 1. Initial Press Release from Singapore, January 29,2000 TJanuary 29 it is necessary to be aware of this Letter to the Participants and invited observers attending the Group of Primates meeting held in NEW BISHOPS FROM AFRICA AND ASIA CONSECRATED Kampala, 16th to 18th November 1999. AND SENT TO THE UNITED STATES

As we come to the end of this consultation together, we thank God St. Andrew's Cathedral, Singapore, January 29, 2000 for our fellowship with you in our Lord Jesus Christ. We deeply respect your devotion to Christian truth and commitment to mission and service. An intemational group of Anglican Archbishops and Bishops today We also hear and understand what you have told us about examples of consecrated the Rev. Charles H. Murphy HI and the Very Rev. Dr. John abandonment of Anglican teaching, discipline and practices in the H. Rodgers Jr., as Bishops who will be released to minister in the United provinces from which you come. We share your distress on account ofthe States of America. "The releasing of bishops into another province is an damage and harmful results of these increasingly serious developments. action not without precedence in the Anghcan Communion " said Bishop C. FitzSimons Allison, former bishop of South Carolina. We declare our solidarity with you first of all in prayer. Together we have seen that God's Church is healed only through God's grace, mercy Murphy, the rector of one of the fastest growing Episcopal Churches and power. We assure you, too, that among us are those ready to respond in the U.S., and Rodgers, Dean Emeritus of Trinity Episcopal School for to specific and urgent situations which may arise in the months before the Ministry in Ambridge, Pennsylvania, have agreed to step forward at this Primates' Meeting in Portugal from. 23rd to 28th March. Parishes and moment of crisis, in an initiative aimed at reversing a 30-year decline of clergy under threat because of their loyalty to the Gospel and to Anglican 30 percent in the membership of the Episcopal Church of the U.S.A. standards must be supported and we will play our part in such support. "This crisis of decline is a of the Christian Faith that has left the Episcopal Church divided," said Rodgers. "Our calMng is to minister to At the forthcoming Primates' Meeting we will inform our colleagues those congregations who beheve that the authority of Scripture and the of the intolerable situation that you and others like you are facing. We historic Creeds are central to our Faith, conduct, and unity as Anghcans," will carefully document and commend a proposal to this meeting which, said Murphy. we believe, will address the problems in our Communion caused by mis­ use of autonomy and innovations exceeding the limits of our Anglican The two Bishops will provide pastoral support, guidance, and over­ diversity. In this we will be acting upon Resolution 1116(B) Lambeth '98. sight at the request of clergy and congregations that want to continue in the doctrine, discipline and worship of Christ as the Anghcan Church has We will be seeking agreement on and the progressive implementa­ received them. They will actively seek to plant Anglican missions in areas tion of effective measures to ensure a retum to historic standard for ordi­ where there are receptive communities and httle faithful witness in the nation, moral and marriage disciplines where in our communion these Episcopal Church. "We are committed to lead the Church—not leave it," have been notoriously breached. Our endeavor here accords with said Murphy. Lambeth Resolution 1.10. The Archbishops and Bishops agree that this is a Gospel issue, not We are aware that until orthodox Episcopal oversight is restored in a political issue. It is an action to re-establish the unity that has been vio­ all dioceses there will be serious restriction upon mission and acute dif­ lated by the unrebuked ridicule and denial of basic Christian teaching. ficulties in pastoral care. As a clear goal we aim for such resolution. For They are convinced it is time to give the faithful in the US a place to its realization we will take all the measures available consistent with our remain Anghcan. obedience to Christ, submission to the authority of Scripture and accord­ ing to our ordination vows. We seek to share your pain but cannot prom­ This bold initiative is intended to help Arch bishops from around the ise to eliminate it. world take seriously the need for the reform and renewal of the Episcopal Church at their meeting next month in Lisbon, Portugal. We have greatly valued this second consultation. Our representa­ tives have formally visited ECUSA. We see no immediate need for setting The sending of these Bishops back to the United States is offered as up a third consultation on this scale. Be assured of our sharp awareness an interim step in an ongoing effort to lead the Episcopal Church back to of this discord that directly affects our churches as well as yours and our its biblical foundations. determination to find and follow Christ's way ahead. The consecrators were The Most Reverend Emmanuel Kohni, Brothers and sisters pray for us as we do for you. Archbishop of the Province of Rwanda; The Most Reverend Moses Tay, Archbishop of the Province of South East Asia; The Right Reverend John Yours in Christ, Ruchyahana, the Diocese of Shyira in Rwanda. They were assisted by The Right Reverend C. Fitzimmons Allison, the thirteenth Bishop of the The Most Rev E. M. Kolini, Rwanda Diocese of South Carolina, Episcopal Church, USA; The Right Reverend The Most Rev Dr Livingstone Mpalanyi-Nkoyoyo, Uganda Alex D. Dickson, the first Bishop of the Diocese of West Tennessee, The Most Rev Patrice Byankya Njojo, DR Congo Episcopal Church, USA; and The Right Reverend David Pytches, the for­ The Most Rev Samuel Ndayisenga, Burundi mer Bishop of Chile, Bolivia and Peru. The Most Rev Moses Tay, S. E. Asia The Most Rev Donald Mtetemela, Tanzania For further information contact: The Rt. Rev. Charles Murphy, First The Rt Rev Massassel B. Dawidi, representing the Sudan Promise, 843-237-0318, The Rt. Rev. Dr. John Rodgers, Association of The Rt Rev Peter Njenga, representing Kenya Anghcan Congregations on Mission, 847-486-9711. + The Most Rev Maurice Sinclair, Southem Cone of America

2 MANDATE: March/April 2000 The Prayer Book Society 2. Letters from the Presiding Bishop of the ECUSA (a) For the primates of the Anglican Communion

My dear brothers:

I have been profoundly disturbed by the caricature that has been presented of the Episcopal Church in the United States as being disre­ garding of scripture and the classical doctrines of the church. To be sure there are divergent views on the question of human sexuality which are supported by different readings and interpretations of the biblical texts, but in no way is the biblical record treated as other than the word of God "containing all things necessary to salvation." With regard to doctrine, I know of no active bishops who are other than completely orthodox in their understanding of the creeds.

I therefore regard the actions of the primates of Rwanda and South East Asia as singularly unhelpful at a time when we in the Episcopal Church are seeking to upbuild and strengthen our fundamental unity in faith for the sake of mission to a broken and needy world.

The enclosed letter is self-explanatory and I wanted you to have a copy of it, particularly as we look ahead to the primates meeting at which time I sincerely hope the intemal hfe of the Episcopal Church will not be the dominant topic of our time together. Let us not be deflect­ ed from the larger concems of genocide, crushing poverty side by side with inordinate affluence, and the dangerous fundamentalism—both within Islam and our own Christian community—which threatens to tum our God of compassion into a idol of wrath.

Yours in Christ, The Most Rev. Frank T. Griswold Presiding Bishop and Primate, The Episcopal Church January 31, 2000

(b) For all bishops

Dear brothers and sisters:

I have just leamed this morning, as perhaps you have as well, that Saturday in Singapore two primates of the Anghcan Communion, the Most Rev. Emmanuel Kohni, Archbishop of the Province of Rwanda, and the Most Rev. Moses Tay, Archbishop of the Province of South East Asia, along with Bishop Ruchyahana also of Rwanda, and two retired bishops of our Province, Alex Dicks on and Fitzsimmons Allison, have ordained two priests of our church, John H. Rodgers and Charles H. Murphy, as bishops. Their press release says that they have "agreed to step forward at this moment of crisis, in an initiative aimed at reversing a 30-year decline of 30 percent in the membership ofthe Episcopal Church in the U.S.A."

I am appalled by this irregular action and even more so by the purported "crisis" that has been largely fomented by them and others, and which bears very little resemblance to the church we actually know, which is ahve and well and faithful, as the Zacchaeus report so clearly indicates. A deepening of discipleship among Episcopahans is shown by increased attendance at worship and in stewardship. In actual fact, the report also indicates that it is actions such as the one just taken that confuse and alienate the faithful in the pew, who see structures beyond the congregation as confhctual and focused on concems unrelated to mission.

It is ironic that this action occurs at a time in which we as a community of bishops have come to a deepened awareness of our unity and of the need to work together for the upbuilding of the church we serve in Christ's name. We are not helped by voices of panic and catastrophic projection which seek to undermine the careful and patient way we have sought to proceed together in discerning the motions of the Spirit.

To be sure, there are significant disagreements among us regarding human sexuality. We have been seeking to deal with those different points of view in a gracious and respectful way with a view to deepening the unity we share, and honoring the fact that scripture is read and interpreted from different perspectives—all seeking to be faithful to the mind of Christ.

I have every confidence that the action taken in Singapore, as unsettling as it may be, provides an opportunity for us as bishops to take ever more seriously the bond we share as overseers of the household of faith and limbs and members of Christ's Body who—because of our baptism—are never allowed to say I have no need of you.

Yours in Christ,

Frank T. Griswold Presiding Bishop and Primate January 31, 2000

The Prayer Book Society MANDATE: March/April 2000 3 3. Letter from the Prayer Book Society to the new Bishops Dear Chuck Murphy and John Rodgers,

Greetings in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ from the Prayer Book Society of the USA.

On behalf of many people of charitable dispositions but with concem for the future of the Anglican Way in America, I put to you some QUES­ TIONS crying out for ANSWERS foUowing your ordinations and consecrations to the office of Bishop in Singapore on January 29, 2000.

As we pray for you that you will be truly modem day apostles of the Lord Jesus, we ask these questions in order that we may think highly of you in the Lord and may work fmitfully with you in the work of the Gospel. We ask in the spirit of charity and in the behef that full disclosures are needed here by you and your consecrators so as to help everyone understand and pray with charity of heart for you.

1. To which dioceses in Africa or Asia were Letters Dimissory for CM & JR sent by their ECUSA Bishops of South Carolina & Pittsburgh? Of which dioceses are the two men now Assistant or Suffragan Bishops?

2. Is each man being sent to the USA by the College of Bishops of a Province or by only an Archbishop or by only a Diocesan Bishop?

3. Under which canon law is each of these new Bishops placed?

4. To whom do these two Bishops report on their work in the USA?

5. Can we expect a full explanation from the Consecrating Bishops of why they did this and why they did it now and not say in April 2000? Is the urgency related to the retirement of Moses Tay or is to put political pressure on the Primates at their March 2000 meeting, or both?

6. What principles will they follow in ministering to congregations which are now part of the ECUSA or part of one of the Continuing Anglican Groups? How do they intend to stay within the guidelines of various Lambeth Conference resolutions in terms of entering dioceses without permission?

7. Do they intend to declare themselves as Bishops out of communion with all or some of the ECUSA Bishops? If so which and why? Have they rejected or abandoned the principles of the Eames Commission on relations between bishops when there is impaired or broken Communion?

8. Do they intend not only to bless but also to confirm and to ordain? Will they ordain women?

9. In starting new congregations what Rites will they use and what will be their guiding Formularies? If they use the 1979 prayer book, in what doctrinal sense will they be different from the official doctrine of the ECUSA?

10. What is the relation of these Consecrations to the long term plan to create a new Province of the Anghcan Communion in the USA? Did those involved see these as a first and necessary step to the organization of such a Province? If so many would like to know the general plan for the future.

11. Why was it not possible for this Event in Singapore to have been delayed until March 30, 2000 after the ending of the meeting of the Primates in Portugal and then done only if the Primates had not taken action to help the cause of orthodoxy in America? Why could it not have been planned and then only executed if, and only if, the Primates had tumed their backs on positive intervention in the Anghcan family in the USA?

12. Did these consecrations have the blessing of Archbishop Harry Goodhew and Presiding Bishop Maurice Sinclair who have been deeply involved with the cry for help from America?

13. Were those involved in these Consecrations aware of the hopes and plans of those who left the ECUSA in 1976 and how much of the idealism was squandered and instead of one continuing church being created there are now have 30 or more? Did they seek to leam from the history of the origins and development of the Continuing Anghcan Jurisdictions?

14. Are the churches of the First Promise movement now in principle the missionary diocese of Chuck Murphy and are the congregations of the Association of Anghcan Congregations in Mission now in principle the missionary diocese of John Rodgers? If so which are the parent dioceses or provinces?

15. Are we going to be given a carefully prepared report of why CM & JR did this and how it is to be for the edification of God's people and how it conforms to the apostolic rule of doing ah things decently and in order?

Yours truly,

Rev'd Dr. Peter Toon, President of the Prayer Book Society,

January 31, 2000

4 MANDATE: March/April 2000 The Prayer Book Society 4. The Bishop of Pittsburgh offers some explanations

30th January, A.D. 2000 our Presiding Bishop and his Council of Advice. We stated, as we have stated many times before, that we saw no hope of reform ofthe Episcopal The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany Church without the intemational primates and the wider Anghcan Communion calling us to some reasonable accountabihty. We discour­ TO ALL CLERGY AND LAY LEADERS OF THE DIOCESE: aged a plan brought by the First Promise organization to estabhsh an additional Anghcan province here in North America. We did say that the Beloved in the Lord, situation of the "front-line parishes in hostile dioceses" was increasingly Word has been received by news reports from Singapore conceming intolerable. We bishops did not go with any plan, nor come away from the consecration there yesterday of John Rodgers of Ambridge and Kampala with any sense that the "orthodox" primates had yet developed Chuck Murphy of Pawleys Island (South Carolina) as missionary bishops a strategy, other than that of taking the whole matter before the meeting for the United States. Since this involves one of our own so directly, I of all Anglican primates in Portugal in March, 2000. think it both wise and necessary that you have a letter from me as your diocesan bishop. JOHN RODGERS

It seems to me that this is but another in the spiral of events of the John Rodgers is one of the finest, humblest, brightest and most gra­ last thirty years by which the fabric and the direction of our Episcopal cious priests I have ever known. He is now a missionary bishop. His Church are being tested and shaped. A copy of a press release, which says home is in Ambridge. He will be welcomed by me as the leader and a bit more about this interpretation, accompanies this letter. friend he is. As with Bishop Hathaway (or any other bishop who might reside in this diocese) any episcopal function within the congregations in union with this diocese should have my prior knowledge and approval. I Our focus here in Pittsburgh needs to remain where it has been: on do not expect that Bishop John will spend very much of his time serving our local mission, chiefly carried out by all 72 or our missionary congre­ here. You will want to know that Bishop Ed Salmon of South Carolina gations. Anxious reaction to events outside will do httle for the spread of anticipates a similar relationship with Bishop Chuck Murphy. These are the gospel. Our aim must be to continue to support and strengthen one anomalous situations for anomalous times. another across congregational lines despite our differences. We must con­ tinue to aim at God's vision for us as "one Church of miraculous expec­ tation and missionary grace." RWANDA It is reported that both the Archbishop of Rwanda, Emanuel Kolini, YOUR BISHOP and the Bishop of Shyira, John Rucyahana, participated in the consecra­ tions. If so, these actions may be very costly in relation to the unanimous For two and a half years I have been calling on this Church to deal support expressed by our November Convention for partnership with with its divisions by some kind of gracious, intemal and temporary let­ Rwanda and Shyira. We were not asked by our partners about whether ting go. This began "at home" with my pastoral letter of August 1997.1 these ordinations should take place at this time. offered my moral and theological teaching (both then and following Lambeth), and held up the possibihty of altemative episcopal oversight, should that ever become the best way forward for a congregation within As congregations and individuals attempt to work out how they want this diocese. I have also offered ways for individuals to progress toward to respond to Rwandan involvement, three aspects of the Rwandan con­ ordination where I could not affirm them on our standards or in our text may prove instructive. Two of them are direct quotations from the process here. In September of 1997 I challenged the Pennsylvania House archbishop, quotations which were long ago indelibly seared in my mem­ of Bishops to work together to find a way through our ever deepening ory. Once he said to me: "We Rwandans have been refugees all our hves. divisions. I have renewed this challenge repeatedly (as recently as two We will always respond to the plight of refugees." On another occasion weeks ago), but have been regularly rebuffed by some, though not all, of Archbishop Kolini said: "At the genocide in 1994, the whole world stood my Commonwealth colleagues. In January of 1999, a group of American back and no one came to Rwanda's aid. We will never stand back when Anglican Council bishops sent an envoy (the Bishop of Albany) to our others are similarly threatened, physically or spiritually." The third factor Presiding Bishop, with a document drafted by me, asking that we might in understanding our partners, however much some may disagree with discuss some path forward within the whole House of Bishops. This them is this: Most members of the previous Rwandan House of Bishops appeal was made again to Bp. Griswold last March and last September (at were removed by action of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the East gatherings of the House of Bishops), in what had by then become the African House of Bishops as "unfaithful bishops" for their complicity in Jubilee Bishops Initiative, but with no general discussion (dialogue or the genocide. It was those like Emanuel Kohni and John Rucyahana who conversation) yet allowed. were called out of their long exiles (in places like Zaire and Uganda) to assume those morally vacated sees. Last Sunday night John Rodgers called me to say that he had been Our connection as the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh, encouraged asked to come to Singapore. We discussed his letters dimissory, and as is by the office of the Archbishop of Canterbury and many others, to the his right, a request that they be sent to Archbishop Moses Tay, if that Episcopal Church in Rwanda is not about the sorting out of the American became necessary. It was not yet clear whether there would be any con­ crisis. It is about relief and development and mission in a comer of the secrations. I have had no contact with any of the Anglican primates, other world that most of the world has endeavored to avoid. It is about a place than our own Presiding Bishop, since Kampala in November. where one of every eight people was murdered in 1994, and where today there are 300,000 orphans. At the Kampala conference in November, four American bishops were asked to report on our analysis of the state of the American Episcopal Church. This followed the "Come and See" visits initiated by EXPLANATIONS continued on page 6

The Prayer Book Society MANDATE: March/April 2000 5 5. The Bishop of South Carolina comments A PASTORAL LETTER TO THE CONGREGATIONS OF THE DIOCESE OF SOUTH CAROLINA

Febmary 2, 2000 their property because the parish pre-dates the Diocese. The facts are that the charter of All Saints' Church was not renewed by the parish in the Dear People of God, Nineteenth Century and the property passed to the ownership of the Tmstees of the Diocese of South Carohna. Bishop Capers and the All of you by now are aware of the consecration of John Rodgers Trustees gave the property back to the parish in May 1903. All Saints' and Chuck Murphy as bishops by the Archbishop of Singapore, the therefore has claim to the property as long as they are a part of the Archbishop of Rwanda, Bishop Rucyahana of Rwanda and Bishop Diocese of South Carolina. We parted this conversation positively. I stat­ Allison and Bishop Dickson. ed my strong concem that the action was both pre-mature and lacking support of all the Kampala primates, and also reaffirmed my desire to see The consecrations pose serious questions about the relationships of that no division resulted. They restated that any decision would belong to Provinces of the Anglican Communion to the American Church, doctri­ the Archbishops. nal and canonical issues within the American church, and canonical ques­ tions within the Diocese of South Carolina. Bishop Murphy is a bishop, I have kept Bishop Skilton abreast of all developments and last week I suppose in the Diocese of Singapore. He is still on the records of the sent word to the Vice President of the Province and the Archbishop of Diocese of South Carohna as a priest of this diocese, since no letter Canterbury. dimissory has been sent or asked for. Obviously the office of bishop now is his status, therefore in reahty, he is not a priest of the diocese. I will I believe that in all of these events, it is important to minimize fur­ have to depend on the Chancellor to work these matters out canonically. ther divisions and to urge the whole church to seek a Godly solution. This He has stated his desire to remain at All Saints' Church. To do so will action is obviously a symptom of much larger issues. More anger and require my permission and license. Bishop Murphy will not be back from hatred will not help the situation. Singapore until Friday evening. My intent is to meet with Bishop Murphy and the Vestry of All Saints' Church early next week to make some deter­ As far as the issues are concemed that relate to me and the Diocese mination about where we are. of South Carohna, I will continue to pray for guidance, I will continue to consult with Bishop Skilton, the Deans, the Standing Committee, Bishop You also need some background on this event. On January 13, I Murphy and the Vestry and people of All Saints' Church. When that dis­ received a telephone call from the Rev. Bill Atwood, who was on his way cernment produces the proper fruit, you will hear it directly from me. I to Rwanda to see Archbishop Kolini at the request of Bishop Stanton of cherish your prayers. DaUas. Bishop Stanton had received word from Archbishop Nkoyoyo of Uganda, stating that he had been invited to participate in the consecration Faithfully, of three bishops for the American Church and that he declined. Fr. Atwood asked if I had a position to give to Archbishop Kohni. I told him (The Rt. Rev.) Edward L. Salmon, Jr. that I was opposed, particularly because it preceded the primates' meet­ 13th Bishop of South Carolina ing in March and because four of the six primates, who had contemplat­ ed such an action in Kampala in November, were now opposed. The action had the potential of dividing faithful people who are in agreement about doctrinal and moral issues in the American Church.

I contacted both Bishop Allison and Bishop Murphy who acknowl­ edged to me that they were going to Singapore in late January. I also dis­ cussed with them my objections to the one name that seemed to be pub­ EXPLANATIONS continued from page 5 lic. I expressed my concem that faithful people not be divided and my willingness to work to prevent this from happening. I also stated my PATH FORWARD objections to the possible consecrations. Such an action would preempt any decision by the Primates in March and would then rest on the action We need to pray daily for our Church, and especially for our Presiding of only two of the six Primates who originally contemplated the action. Bishop and all our bishops. The primates meet in Portugal from the 22nd to Both Bishop Allison and Bishop Murphy reaffirmed their position that the 28th of March. Our own House of Bishops meets in Los Angeles from any decision regarding consecrations would belong to the archbishops the 30th of March to the 4th of April. I will continue to do what I can to help and not to them. us to find a "more excehent way" through all of this turmoil nationally and internationally. But most of all I will continue to focus on this portion of the I had a second discussion with them in Pawleys Island when I vineyard which it has pleased God to place in my care, that we would most­ blessed the marriage of a couple from All Saints' Church. I did raise with ly be known as "one church of miraculous expectation and missionary them the questions about relationships to the Diocese, and the commit­ grace" rather than for our fractiousness and hardness of heart. ment that Bishop Murphy made sometime ago to live in the Diocese and not be divisive to its common life. I also pointed out the strange canoni­ Faithfully in Christ, cal issues and my concem that we not end up divided. I reminded them that there had been an article in "The Coastal Observer" on September + Robert Wm. Duncan 10, 1998 which stated that Bishop Murphy had consulted attomeys about the church property and was advised that All Saints' could possibly keep Bishop of Pittsburgh

6 MANDATE: March/April 2000 The Prayer Book Society 6. A STATEMENT FROM THREE ARCHBISHOPS FROM THREE CONTINENTS

As those who share in a deep concem for Anghcan orthodoxy and Anglican instruments of unity and our respective provincial authorities. where it is being eroded are actively committed to practical steps towards Our prayer is that the Primates in the March meeting in Portugal may be it restoration, we wish to comment upon the recent consecrations in able to deal wisely and effectively with the underlying causes of this cur­ Singapore of two bishops for ministry in the United States. rent disorder.

We regret that pressures upon traditionahsts within the Episcopal Richard Harry Goodhew, Church in the U.S. should have accumulated to the point at which two Archbishop of Sydney primates, whom we hold in esteem, felt compeUed to take this present action on their own initiative and contrary to what was agreed in a meet­ Donald Leo Mtetemela, ing in which they shared in Kampala. We are disappointed that our Archbishop of Tanzania friends acted against our clear advice and we cannot approve such a step as they have taken at this time. Maurice W. Sinclair, Presiding Bishop of the Southem Cone We continue to emphasise the vital importance of reaffirming ortho­ dox teaching and safeguarding our historic disciplines through our MAlWAT VOLUME 19, NUMBER 2 Editor: The Rev'd Dr Peter Toon Design/Layout: Branch-Smith Printing, Inc. MANDATE is published six times a year by the Prayer Book Society, a non-profit organization serving the Church. All gifts to the P.B.S. are tax- deductable. Recipients of Mandate are encouraged to send a minimum gift of $28.00. Editorial and all other correspondence: P.O. Box 35220, Philadelphia, PA 19128. Phone 1-800-PBS-1928. Postmaster: Please send address changes to the above address.

Word-Wide Web address is http://www.episcopalian.org/pbs1928 7. Bishop Rodgers replies to Dr. Peter Toon

Wednesday, Febraary 02, 2000

Dear Peter,

Thank you for your prayers and concems. I appreciate your questions.

By now you will know that we are located in Rwanda (Murphy) and South East Asia (me). Both Provinces were well consulted before this action took place. We are under the canons of those provinces with some freedom to make such contextual application as is reasonable. We are of course answerable to the Primates and to the respective Houses of Bishops. No confirmations and ordinations are planned prior to the Primates meeting in March. You will have to ask the Primates all of the reasons for action at this point. It was in line with the 2nd paragraph of the Kampala Letter. For my part the chief concems are pastoral. Boundaries of course are a problem. In those dioceses where the resolutions of Lambeth are honored we will honor them. The unity of the Church is in the Faith and not merely institutional. We affirm Anglican unity and are seeking to help congregations of Anghcan conviction remain in the Communion during this anomalous period.

It is my hope that this will help the orthodox Primates take a very strong stand in Lisbon in March and that that will lead the Episcopal Church to repentance and reformation at the upcoming General Convention.

I think it would be good for you to take a look at the proposed Constitution and Canons which we gave to the Primates at Kampala, should it prove necessary for an altemative Province to be recognized. Your comments would be helpful, I'm sure.

In Him,

John

The Prayer Book Society MANDATE: March/April 2000 7 8. THE LETTER OF ARCHBISHOP TAY AND ARCHBISHOP KOLINI TO THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY

30 January 2000 Any strategy that seeks to ground the unity of the Anglican Communion with its foundation in political accommodation rather than The Most Reverend and Right Honorable George Carey in the essentials of the Christian Faith is doomed. Only an unapologetic Archbishop of Canterbury and firm insistence in the Faith entmsted to us will keep us together. Lambeth Palace London SEX 7JU Yours in Christ, United Kingdom The Most Revd. Dr. Moses Tay Dear George, Archbishop The Province of South East Asia The consecrations in Singapore are an interim action to provide pas­ toral assistance and nurture to faithful individuals and congregations. The Most Revd. Emmanuel Kolini The apostasy of the "12 Theses," the continued rejection of the Lambeth Archbishop Resolutions by a number of dioceses in ECUSA, and the actions of the The Province of Rwanda Primus of Scotland have gone unrebuked as the boundaries of Christian and Anglican Faith have been notoriously breached. The unity of Anglicanism must be understood as grounded not merely in polity but fundamentally in the historic Faith entrusted to us. Far from being an Editor's Comment attack on the Communion, this action is an affirmation of the unity of Anghcan doctrine and Faith which has been frequently and flagrantly Perhaps Episcopahans need to understand that much of violated in the ECUSA. what is taught, allowed and commended in the Episcopal Church is positively horrifying to Christians from Asia and It is precisely our irresponsible inaction that has allowed this divi­ Africa. What the latter see is much heresy and immorality and sion to continue. It is the violation of the Faith that makes unity impos­ disorder and a little genuine faith and virtue. Further, the sible. This pastoral step establishes no new entity but simply gives pas­ leaders from overseas feel that they have been lied to over the toral care until faithful doctrine and ecclesiastical discipline has been last decade by Presiding Bishops and some diocesan bishops restored. We beheve this action will greatly assist the primates in March who have been telling them that the ECUSA is really fine and to address these issues. generally orthodox. This very same false message is con­ veyed in the Letter of Bishop Griswold to the Primates (see We are sure you would agree that this is a pastoral and Gospel issue above No.2.) in January 2000. and not a political one, and should be treated accordingly. Rather than being a serious blow to the Communion, we see this action as reflecting So these Primates have a sense of outrage that the Name a serious resolve to uphold the Lambeth Resolutions. of God is not being haUowed in the ECUSA and they have a burning desire to do something sufficiently powerful both to We trust that the concem which you have expressed for the unity of focus the Primates on the problem and also offer help to dis­ the Communion will bear fruit at the Primates' meeting in March and will tressed Episcopahans in the USA. result in action that affirms the boundaries of the historic Anglican Faith reflected in the Resolutions of Lambeth 1998 and not merely further dis­ Their action can be called precipitous and contrary to cussion. church custom but perhaps out of it the tme condition of the ECUSA as a virtually apostate Church will become clear to The nine primates at Kampala in November have agreed that the much of the Anghcan Commumon. What if anything the present conditions in the ECUSA have produced an "intolerable situa­ Primates Meeting in March 2000 will be willing and able to tion" involving the "misuse of provincial autonomy," ongoing "innova­ do to help the Episcopal Church to recover her former Faith tions exceeding the limits of our Anglican diversity," and Christian stan­ and Order we shall have to wait to see. They have a busy dards which are now "being notoriously breached." It was acknowledged schedule and only six days of consultation. in paragraph two of our Kampala Statement that "among us are those ready to respond to specific and urgent situations which may arise in the The moral force of the Singapore action has been some­ months before the Primates' meeting in Portugal from 23 to 28 March." what minimized by the fact that most of their fellow Primates Again, we have established no new province or entity but have taken an (who had met with them in Kampala in November) believed interim action in accordance with the above. We cannot help but reach that it was not appropriate to consecrate two Americans as the conclusion that you have been seriously misinformed with reference bishops at this time. Further, there was within the body of to the consensus reached last November in Kampala. We have simply nine Primates a difference of interpretation as to the meaning acted according to paragraph two of the Kampala Statement signed by the of one paragraph of their own joint Letter of November 1999 nine primates and in response to a request by the attending American (see above page 2). Anglican Council (AAC) bishops for intervention.

8 MANDATE: March/April 2000 The Prayer Book Society 9. ON THE CONSECRATING OF BISHOPS

"W" "W" 'W'hat are the necessary ingredients for a necessary conditions were not met. It is these possible omissions and the general atmosphere of secrecy that have led to so much specula­ • ^k i Service of Consecration so that it can tion. Here are the substantial concems to be clarified: •/ •/ be said that the Candidate was truly f J consecratedwithout any irregularities? 1. Apparently there were no elections within the Provinces of S E Asia and Rwanda. At best there were only conversations between To find the answer we have to go the Ordinal (editions of 1549, 1662, the Archbishops and some of their colleagues about the 1928) and then to the sections in official canon law. The following may Candidates. be regarded as necessary. 2. Apparently there were therefore no testimonials from the electing 1. The use of an approved Rite with the laying on of hands in a pub­ dioceses that could be read in the service. However, the certifi­ lic service and using either the classic Ordinal itself or a service cates of consecration contain these words: "he having been duly from an approved Book ofAltemative Services (e.g. the Enghsh nominated to be Bishop in the Province of the Anglican Church ASB of 1980). in Rwanda/SE Asia." Presumably "nominated" has not the same meaning as "elected." 2. The presence of the Archbishop [Presiding Bishop] of the Province, or his deputy, along with at least two other Bishops in 3. Apparently there was no officer of the law to administer the Oath good standing. Anghcan Canon Law requires that a minimum of of Obedience because the certificate of this oath was signed by Three Bishops do the Consecrating. the two Archbishops. Normally it is witnessed and signed by the Chancellor who places his seal thereon. 3. The reading of Testimonials of the person being presented for Consecration. This ensures that he has been duly elected by a spe­ 4. Apparently neither the Promise of Conformity (Declaration of cific diocese (as a diocesan, suffragan or assistant bishop) or for Assent) nor the Oath of Obedience contained any reference to the a special ministry approved by the synod of the Church (e.g., specific Diocese or special ministry for which the Candidates had bishop to the armed forces). been elected. The wording used was "In the Name of God. Amen. I, NAME, now to be consecrated Bishop in the Province of the 4. The promise by the Candidate of conformity to the doctrine, dis­ Anghcan Church in Rwanda/SE Asia...." cipline and worship ofthe Church (e.g., the Church of England or the Anglican Church of Uganda). The latter usually takes this 5. Apparently the Service was semi-secret with only friends and rel­ form. "In the name of God. Amen. I, NAME OF CANDIDATE, atives present. It was not in the full sense a public service. chosen Bishop of the Church of England/Anglican Church of Uganda in NAME OF DIOCESE, do promise conformity and 6. Apparently there were no "Letters Dimissory" sent from the USA obedience " to the Province of Rwanda releasing the Candidate to this Province; further, the same Candidate was the rector of a parish 5. The oath of obedience. This may be taken before or during the in another province (ECUSA) at the time of his consecration for Service and requires the presence of an officer of the law of the Rwanda. It is not clear if he will resign this cure of souls. land as witness - thus the presence of the Chancellor of the Diocese dressed in gown as a lawyer. This usually takes this Conclusion form: "In the Name of God. Amen. I, NAME OF CANDIDATE, It has been suggested that the two Archbishops beheve (a) that the chosen Bishop of the Church and See of NAME, do profess and elections of Rodgers and Murphy done by secret ballot in the steering promise all due reverence and obedience to the Archbishop...." committee of the First Promise movement in 1999 in the USA consti­ tutes a genuine election, and (b) that they have Authority and Power, It will be noted that no Archbishop or Presiding Bishop or in fact any without the official consent of their Provinces, to ordain and conse­ Bishop ought to proceed with any consecration unless the Candidate crate Bishops, especially in an emergency, and then send them any­ has been duly elected, has taken the oath of allegiance and the prom­ where in the world as need arises. ise of conformity, and there are at least three Bishops in good standing present for the laying on of hands at the correct time in the Service. If It will take time to be clear as to the precise status of John Rodgers and these conditions are not met the consecration will in due course and by Chuck Murphy with regard to the Anglican Episcopate. They have competent authority be deemed either irregular or invalid ("null and indicated that they will not exercise any specifically episcopal acts void") depending on precise circumstances. until after the meeting of the Primates in late March 2000.

Singapore The Rev'd Dr. Peter Toon In the case of the Consecrations of John Rodgers and Chuck Murphy February 9, 2000 (Intemet Discussion) in Singapore on January 29 there is a possibility that some of the

The Prayer Book Society MANDATE: March/April 2000 9 10. THE ECUSA, PB GRISWOLD & THE PRIMATES' MEETING IN MARCH

hat is unique about the situation within 4. Since the 1970s, the liberal presuppositions within the new Formularies have been developed and set forth in new forms of the ECUSA to single it out for special "worship," new canon law and new permissive practices such as attention by the Primates' Meeting? easy remarriage in church of divorcees and blessing of homosexual Are not the same types of modem liber­ partnerships (which usually become canon law after the usual polit­ al & post-modern forms of theology ical processes). evident in other Anglican Provinces? 5. So there is a real connection between the abandonment of the These questions were asked at Lambeth Palace in the week of Formularies and the authority of Holy Scripture and the historic February 7 during the visit of Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold Pohty on the one hand, and, on the other hand, the recent canon to London. making belief in women's ordination part of the Credo, the great increase in the statements by bishops that same-sex partnerships can In a letter to his Council of Advice dated February 10, Griswold said be blessed by God, and the growing use of inclusive language for that he had met with Archbishop of Canterbury George L. Carey. Deity in "worship services." Among the topics of conversation were the purpose of the March meeting of the Primates and the importance of communion "as a 6. To say as the Presiding Bishop has done [in his letter to the fundamental reality." Primates] that all the Bishops of ECUSA are now orthodox (since Spong has retired) is to have moved the meaning of the word ortho­ Griswold said that he and Carey agreed that "this will be a time for dox beyond all reasonable discourse. A few Bishops are perhaps consultation and sharing the different experiences of the Anglican desirous of being orthodox but certainly not the majority, and these Communion." Further, the Presiding Bishop said that the conversa­ few are very conscious of being side-lined, to put it mildly. tion also included "the actual state of the Episcopal Church, which has been painted as in a state of disarray [by First Promise and the 7. CCLEC and the First Promise organization have collected and Archbishops of S E Asia and Rwanda]. From his many visits to our made available an abundance of evidence which illustrates the church, the archbishop has seen for himself that we are neither results of the rejection of Order. The book, DEAR PRIMATES, by immobilized by conflict and dissension, nor disregarding any voic­ Tarsitano & Toon deals with the fundamental problem of the actual es, and that our mission goes on with vitality for the sake of the rejection of Order by the ECUSA. The evidence, it must be con­ gospel." ceded, lacks full coherence without the discussion of the abandon­ ment of Order. It will be Carey's task, he continued, "to determine the canonical status" of the two American priests who were recently ordained to 8. Another clear and distinct way of seeing what ECUSA has the episcopate in Singapore. The archbishop's chancellor, or legal become is to note that since the 1970s there has arisen a growing advisor has been a part of the continuing conversation on that issue. and diverse group of Continuing Anglican Churches, both anglo- catholic and evangehcal. There are around 40 or these and growing. Let us retum to the questions and seek to answer them in a system­ Many of their members feel that they have been forced out of their atic way. ECUSA parishes and some were actually driven out. Why were forced to leave? Because ECUSA has abandoned its inherited 1. It is certainly true that the theological texts read and the trends in Anglican heritage of worship, doctrine and disciphne. theology followed in the USA are also followed in Canada and Great Britain and other countries. However, there is a something In summary, only the ECUSA of all Anglican Churches has for­ unique about the situation within the ECUSA which few people mally set aside Order by rejecting the historic Anglican seem ready to admit. Formularies (and with them the authority of Holy Scripture and received Polity). Further, no other Church has lost such a 2. In the 1970s the ECUSA rejected the historic Formularies of the high proportion of its members since 1970 to continuing angli- BCP, Ordinal and Articles of Religion of the Anghcan Way. In the can churches. place of the BCP & Ordinal it put its 1970s constructions which in other countries were called "Altemative" or "Trial" services. The Finally, what happens in the USA usually has roll-on effects Articles were merely kept as an historical document. The "BCP" of throughout the world and unless the situation in and around the the ECUSA is therefore not the classic BCP but it is a new ECUSA is addressed the problems will be exported to other American prayer book. parts of the Anglican world.

3. What all this change in the 1970s was fundamentally all about was the Therefore, the ECUSA is rightly a topic of concem at the March rejection ofthe received Order—the Order of Divine Revelation, the Order meeting of the Primates. + of historic Polity and even the Order of Matrimony. The setting aside ofthe Formularies had disastrous results for Faith, Morahty and Worship.

10 MANDATE: March/April 2000 The Prayer Book Society Reflections from the Editor's Desk

The Rev'd Dr. Peter Toon Two Wrongs Do Not Make a Right

here is much yet to leam of the events lead­ rights. Rwanda and S E Asia have decided that they have the right to interfere in a dramatic way in the affairs of another province — just ing up to the Consecrations in Singapore on one right now, the ECUSA, but there may be others soon, e.g. January 29, 2000. The intense debate that is Scotland. Their archbishops have each sent a "missionary" bishop to going on will I think serve a very useful pur­ the ECUSA with the duty to enter the ECUSA, and specifically those dioceses which have not voted in favor of the Lambeth Conference 98 Tpose. It will help us all to think seriously about what is resolutions on sexuality, and to minister to those whom they judge to the Anglican Way, what is the Anghcan Communion be desirous of their attention. In each case the missionary bishops are and related matters. Here I offer comments or consid­ clergy ofthe ECUSA and American citizens, facts which intensify the significance of the "lawless" action of SE Asia and Rwanda. erations as a contribution to this leaming and discern­ ing process and to the unity of the brethren. No doubt other Provinces will soon feel that they too have a right to act autonomously in matters that belong to Common Faith & Order The Anghcan Communion is composed of over forty autonomous and to relations between Provinces. Provinces. Each one has its own Constitution, canon law, house of bishops and synod and each one authorizes an edition of the BCP and Bishops are not to behave as if they are politicians making points the Ordinal as well as collections of altemative services. against their opponents. They are govemed by the law of Christ and as Anglicans by the rules and customs of the Anglican Way. Nevertheless, autonomy has been seen until recent times as a circum­ scribed and restricted autonomy, relating especially to the local The way in which the ECUSA has treated both the historic Faith and implementation of the Common Faith and Order of the Anglican Way. Liturgy, the way the likes of John Spong have been allowed to carry on, and the way it has persecuted faithful souls are all as cries to It is not an autonomy wherein there is power to change the canon of heaven for God to avenge. But only the Anghcan Communion as a Scripture, or the Creeds or the Sacraments of the Gospel or the apos­ whole as a Body, via e.g. its Meeting of Primates, can begin to disci­ tolic Ministry of Bishop, Presbyter & Deacon. Further, it is not an pline the ECUSA in any substantial and meaningful way. autonomy to export itself or to engage in mission in another part of the world where there is an existing Anglican Church with whom it is Under normal circumstances it is not for individual Provinces to act in communion. A province may send missionaries (a) to a part of the alone in this regard without the authority of the whole Body. world where there is no other Province of the Communion or (b) by However, under extreme conditions a Province can declare itself out the invitation of another Province to help it in its own work. of communion with another Province (as S E Asia has done with respect to Scotland) and then presumably it can send "missionaries" When a province desires to make changes which belong to the to work in the territory of the Province with which it is not in received Faith and Order or matters closely related then its duty was Communion. seen to submit the proposal to the whole Communion via the see of Canterbury and the Anglican Consultative Council and the Meeting of Of course the Anglican Communion ought to have acted against the Primates. Then it is to be patient and to wait for it to be discussed by ECUSA in the 1970s with appropriate exhortation and discipline but all and certainly it is not to act unilaterally to effect any major change. it did not. Knowledge of this failure in the 1970s does not bring con­ fidence for appropriate action in the year 2000. In the decade when human rights were a major force in America, the Province known as the ECUSA asserted its rights and autonomy by Now it appears that much hangs on the meeting of Primates in late ordaining women and doing so ahead of any readiness to listen to its March 2000 in Portugal. They will need the quiet of the monastery brothers and sisters around the world. Since then it has effectively where they gather not only to discuss the innovations to Faith and done the same with regard to making belief in women's ordination a Order of the ECUSA but also the innovations in terms of relations part of the Credo of the church; and it appears poised to act synodi- between Provinces as set in motion by the Provinces of S E Asia and cally to give formal permission for the blessing of same-sex partners Rwanda in their relation to ECUSA. and thus to approve the homosexual life-style, as it is called, and to change substantially the doctrine of marriage (which it has already Two wrongs do not make a right. The provinces of S E Asia and modified by its doctrine of remarriage after divorce). Rwanda may well in years to come see that they cannot challenge a wrong in the ECUSA by doing wrong themselves, even if their wrong Now in the year 2000 and just before a meeting of the Primates we is nowhere near as serious as the terrible wrongs of the ECUSA in the have the Archbishops two other Provinces asserting their autonomous last three decades! +

The Prayer Book Society MANDATE: March/April 2000 11 OUR DRIFT AWAY FROM ORTHODOXY

norms set out in those documents, but to adapt them to suit the cir­ cumstances of a new independent nation. The authors of Dear Archbishop Primates suggest it is a decline from orthodoxy, as Anglicanism has defined it, that lies at the root of the present dilemma over moral Harry issues. Goodhew of Orthodoxy is important not for it's own sake, but for the salvation of Sydney, Australia those who believe in Christ. It seeks to maintain those things that Christians must hold if they are to remain loyal to God in Christ and be saved. Orthodoxy says, 'truth matters'. "^^" am one of those difficult people who think that A further element of orthodoxy as defined within classic the 21st century begins Anglicanism is balance and proportion. It places individual truths at the end of this year. In within the wider framework of a balanced expression of Christian -^L. spite of this, I plan to believing. Error often comes as a matter of disproportion: one truth use the interest in the year stressed to the exclusion of others. 2000 to say something about issues I think will be important My concem is that I think I see processes at work in our own context for the diocese as it faces a which, over time, could do harm theologically and spiritually. new century. For all sorts of reasons the Book of Common Prayer is becoming a MSince the Lambeth Conference in 1998,1 have been involved with a dead letter. Many new believers in our churches would not know group of Archbishops encouraging the Anglican Communion to take what it is. The decline in the use of fixed forms of service leaves seriously the Lambeth resolutions on human sexuality. parishioners at the mercy of those who put the services together. I am not unsympathetic to the reasons for this but I raise the question: In some parts of the world, (the Episcopal Church of the USA being 'Where will our churches be 25 years from now?' the one which I have become most familiar) the forsaking of long accepted standards of sexual behaviour has become the straw that has In addition to the inadvertent expression of partial truth or things that broken the camel's back for many church members. Coming in the are wrong, there are deliberate choices to leave behind Christian wake of a series of shifts that many see as departures from classical beliefs which are no longer considered palatable. Will we continue to Anglican faith and practice, the acceptance of homosexual practice test what is taught by our historic formularies? Will we maintain our has become one shift too far. confidence in them? There is a meeting of Anglican Primates in March this year, at which Without a laity well versed in the faith as held in this church, con­ this matter will be considered seriously. Action will be sought to stem gregations become vulnerable to the spiritual guru whose personali­ the drift away from recognized Christian norms. ty or oratory, or both, lends support to distortions or limitations of that form of Christian believing, doing, and worshipping, that has Knowing of the issues to be considered by the Primates in March, the been tested over time. Prayer Book Society of the Episcopal Church has produced a publi­ cation entitled, Dear Primates. Its main burden is to draw attention The Anglican Church in Australia will need to face issues of truth and to what its authors see as the major departures from Anglican norms mission in this new century. I treasure the commitment we have in this that have taken place in the Episcopal Church over the last 30 years Diocese to the Bible. I hope we all do. I certainly thank God for all or more. those who have laboured in the past, and do so now, to maintain that commitment. I certainly wish to do all I can to foster that loyalty. I do not refer to this publication for the purpose of castigating the Episcopal Church. Rather, I allude to it because it records a process But orthodoxy has found it necessary to formulate biblical truth into of retreat from the classical statements of faith and order - which the coherent propositions and statements to preserve truth and to authors call 'forms, formulas and formularies' - that have buttressed describe error. Our forms, formulas and formularies have done this and shaped the Anglican Church. I refer to it because I think the for us. If Anglican Christians in Australia do not know them, under­ problem is not confined to the North American Continent. stand them, cherish them and live in them, what will the future hold? Let me raise my concem by way of a question. I ask you, "What is (The Book, Dear Primates, written by Louis Tarsitano and Peter orthodoxy?" Toon is published by St Peter Publications of Prince Edward Island in Canada and by the Prayer Book Society. Obtain your copy now so Once the answer would have been the Book of Common Prayer, the that you know what it is that the Primates will be discussing at their Thirty-Nine Articles and the Ordinal, and seriously minded people March meeting in Portugal.) * would have meant it. Even in the Episcopal Church, I understand, the intention of the founders was not to abandon any of the theological

12 MANDATE: March/April 2000 The Prayer Book Society What Are the Continuers Continuing? Or, What is the Foundation of the Anglican Continuum in America?

ince the 1960s, the Episcopal Church USA While the impetus for this separation had been building for some time, the precipitating (and representative) issues were (formerly the Protestant Episcopal Church) ECUSA's admission of women to Holy Orders and the imposi­ has progressively set aside its orthodox tion of a new service book to replace the classical BCP. inheritance of Christian Faith, Morality, Regrettably, in large part due to intemal disagreements over Liturgy, and Polity. It is not surprising, then, matters of canon law, the Continuum itself soon divided into Sthat many of those who have sought to maintain that various jurisdictions (e.g., the Diocese of Christ the King, the Anglican Catholic Church, and the United Episcopal Church). orthodox inheritance have suffered for their faith, or Over the years there have been further divisions and offshoots that some of them have been forced or felt conscience- of the Continuum, together with some attempts at reunification bound to leave the membership of the Episcopal (such as the Anglican Church in America). Church [ECUSA]. (2) Without reference to the existing Anglican Continuum, there Therefore there exists in AD 2000, outside the institutional was a "second wave" of departures from the jurisdiction of the boundaries of ECUSA, a diverse body of people (with their own ECUSA in the late 1990s (and into 2000). Further thousands of clergy, parishes, dioceses, and national jurisdictions) bearing the Episcopalians withdrew to form evangelical jurisdictions and name "Anglican" or "Episcopal." A few parishes remain inde­ associations of parishes, which have looked for supervision by pendent (with occasional visits from bishops for confirmation), bishops from abroad. The representative issue motivating this but most others have joined one or another of the forty or so second exodus has been the rejection by ECUSA of the Bible as small jurisdictions that make up what has come to be known as the Word of God Written, as evidenced by the denial of biblical "the Anglican Continuum." Not a few of the members of these sexual morality and support for the homosexualist agenda. "Continuing jurisdictions," having suffered significant personal While some in this grouping use an edition of the classic BCP loss by departing from the ECUSA, remain guided by high prin­ (England 1662; Canada 1962; or even America 1928), others ciples and personal idealism. use a Book of Altemative Services. Furthermore, while most think that to ordain women is forbidden by the Word of God, a What continues to set these people and their jurisdictions significant minority claim to have an "open mind" on the mat­ apart is their professed vocation to be the "Continuers" of ter. orthodox Anglicanism. A major grouping of them came into existence in the 1970s, when the ECUSA began to impose in a The most significant event in this particular evangelical move­ systematic way a revision of the Christian faith as known in the ment was the ordination and consecration in Singapore on historic Anglican Way. There existed, however, before the January 29, 2000 of Chuck Murphy of the First Promise organ­ 1970s, other jurisdictions such as the Reformed Episcopal ization and John Rodgers of the Anglican Parishes in Mission Church, the Anglican Orthodox Church, the American organization. Their consecrators were all Bishops of the Episcopal Church and the Southem Episcopal Church, which Anglican Communion, two being Archbishops, and they are to had previously left the ECUSA for various doctrinal and con­ act as missionary bishops in the USA ministering especially to scientious reasons. Some had objected, in the 19th century, to congregations and groups persecuted or neglected by the official what they took to be a "Romanizing" tendency in the Anglo- ECUSA bishops. Here the two Bishops are outside the ECUSA Catholic movement. In the 20th century, others had objected to but somehow inside the Anglican Communion, which is a new the General Convention's adoption of a politicized "rights" episcopal phenomenon in America. agenda, or to the ECUSA's failure to discipline men such as Bishop Pike. (3) We must also note that a great number of people from Protestant and Pentecostal backgrounds have, since the 1970s, been on what has been called the "Canterbury," "Liturgical," or Some Observations and Comments "Catholic" trail. They have been attracted from outside the (1) What we may call "the Anglican Continuum," in a formal Anglican Tradition to embrace the Anglican Way, leaming and sense, came into existence in 1976, with the withdrawal of sev­ interpreting as they go. Some have joined "conservative" parish- eral thousands of Anglicans from the jurisdiction of the Episcopal Church to form the Continuing Anglican Church. CONTINUERS continued from page 14

The Prayer Book Society MANDATE: March/April 2000 13 (5) However, if we look beneath the surface and beyond the CONTINUERS continued from page 13 extremes, we will find that all are committed, in various degrees es within the ECUSA or parishes of the newer jurisdictions out­ of knowledge and zeal, to the primary Formulary (the Canon of side the ECUSA. Others, in the 1990s, have created new parish­ Sacred Scripture), to the patristic Formularies (especially the es and new jurisdictions of their own (e.g., the Communion of Creeds), and specifically to one of more of the Anglican Evangelical Episcopal Churches). Their arrival has added a Formularies (the classic BCP, the Ordinal, and the Articles of dimension of new energy to the Anglican movement in America, Religion). Many of the jurisdictions use the 1928 BCP, author­ an energy that disturbs some ofthe older traditionalists at times. izing as well the missals derived from it. A growing minority Additionally, their very newness to the Anglican Way con­ use the 1662 BCP or the Canadian 1962 BCP as their primary tributes to the difficulty of providing simple definitions of what prayer book. Some use selected Rites from Books ofAltemative it means to be an "Anglican" outside the jurisdiction of the Services. There seems nowhere to be opposition to the centrali­ ECUSA. ty of the Formularies to the constitution of an Anglican life in Christ, even if there is not always a clear understanding of their (4) Many of those involved in this extra-ECUSA Anglicanism strategic importance for maintaining visible unity and a princi­ are simply unaware of others in the same general movement. pled liberty within historic Anglican polity. This lack of contact with their fellow Anglicans is not necessar­ ily the result of animosity or exclusiveness. Two consistently Therefore, it may be claimed that what we have empirically under-appreciated factors in contemplating the American amongst the Continuers is, perhaps in a way that is more Anglican "diaspora" have been the sheer size of the United implicit than explicit, a comprehensiveness based on a com­ States and the reality of American regionalism. Geographic dis­ mon center. It might also be claimed that this comprehensive­ tances make it impossible for an Anglican in Miami, Florida to ness, albeit spread out through numerous jurisdictions, does have easy or automatic fellowship with a fellow Anglican in recreate in large part the charitable provision of room and Portland, Oregon. It takes planning and funds to bring them respect for a variety of expressions among the faithful that is a together. Furthermore, it has never been the case, even before hallmark of the tme Anglican Way. If these thing be so, the the controversies of the past forty years, that the folkways, cus­ immediate and primary need of the Anglican movement in toms, and churchmanship of Anglicans in one region of the America is to create links, fellowship, and dialogue among the country were simply interchangeable with those of another. For forty or so groups of 1970s and 1990s origins, so as to bring example, the photographic House of Bishops year book pub­ some visible unity to this diverse Anglican branch of the one, lished by the Churchman Company in 1907 depicts almost as holy, catholic and apostolic Church. many forms of episcopal vesture as there were bishops. This is not a proposal of "peace at any price" that would dis­ It remains the case, however, for whatever cause, that there is count either the centrality of the Christian Faith to Christian life, apparently little or no movement between those jurisdictions or the many sacrifices that have been made to build the whose origins were in the 1970s and those that came on the Continuing jurisdictions. It is, however, an invitation to consid­ scene in the 1990s. Thus an important question arises: Is there er peace, communion, and visible unity at the price of the Blood ANYTHING which unites all these groupings other than their of Christ. Our Lord has paid this price that we might be his use of the names "Anglican" and "Episcopalian"? Or is it the faithful servants. It is also an invitation to contemplate a future case that they are so opposed to each other by reason of differ­ that is not modeled on the centralized, politicized, and adver­ ent styles, emphases, and ceremonies that there exists no under­ sarial deformation of the ECUSA. We are not obligated, by the lying unity of any kind? grace of God, to repeat her tragedy.

Certainly, a casual observer, especially if unfamiliar with the It is also possible, with the help of God's grace that as the juris­ scope of Anglican history, might conclude that they have little in dictions outside ECUSA draw closer together, they will also be common! Except perhaps common problems—e.g., proper theo­ drawn closer together with those faithful Anglicans who are logical education and training for ordinands, men seeking the hanging on within the ECUSA looking for some possible way episcopal office out of personal ambition, how to handle and forward into a joyful, orthodox Anglican Way of life. deploy divorced and remarried clergy and so on. There is on the surface great variety. At the extremes, there are some who give the Thus it may well be, in the providence of God, that the creation impression of desiring to preserve, Brigadoon-like, what they of a new orthodox Province of the Anglican Communion on a recall of the ECUSA in the 1950s and earlier, whether it be high- sound basis of doctrine, discipline, and worship, and with a gen­ church or low-church Episcopalianism. Some others seem, uine and principled comprehensiveness, is the eventual answer equally nostalgically, to want to imitate what they recall of to the need and yearning for unity both in the Continuum and Roman Catholicism before the Second Vatican Council. Others amongst the "remnant' within the Episcopal Church. May God still appear ready to borrow quite uncritically from recent evan­ lead us to the goals that He desires for us. # P.T. gelical and charismatic insights and programs, and to add them to the Anglican Way in the name of "relevance," without any wait­ ing for consultation or consensus with their fellow Anglicans.

14 MANDATE: March/April 2000 The Prayer Book Society A Dialogue on Common Prayer in the Episcopal Church, USA

ASB: So, are you against the use of the 1979 Book or the use of the similar Books in Canada and England? [A conversation between a member of the Prayer Book Society (PBS) PBS: No, we are not against the use of Books ofAltemative Services. But what we say is that (a) such Books are not editions of the Book and a parishioner of a modern of Common Prayer and (b) that the varied contents of such Books Episcopal parish (ASB)] need to be interpreted doctrinally in the hght of the doctrines of the Book of Common Prayer, in its capacity as a Formulary. This is pre­ cisely the position adopted by the Church in Canada and England when they introduced their new Books. But what happened in the USA was that the classic BCP was set aside and a BAS was put in its ASB: Why do you want to preserve an old Book? What's wrong place and called the BCP\ Thus the new book of varied services with with the current official Prayer Book of the Episcopal Church? a false name stands alone without a doctrinal foundation outside itself and it is open to a great variety of interpretations. PBS: What is wrong with it is that it was given the wrong name! If you examine its layout & contents and then compare these with (a) the previous Prayer Books of the Episcopal Church and (b) modem ASB: In short, you think that the Episcopal Church has abandoned Prayer Books from Canada and England you will see that it is the Anghcan heritage. UNLIKE the previous Prayer Books (editions of 1662, 1789, 1892 & 1928) and LIKE the modem Books which are called "Books of PBS: Correct! In the 1970s the General Convention manipulated Altemative Services" in Canada and England. Episcopahans by giving the impression that it was only engaged in revising an historic Book when in fact it was working on a complete replacement of it, and all for the sake of imposing new doctrines and ASB: So General Convention gave the Prayer Book of 1979 the practices without the consent of the membership. And matters have wrong name and it is not "The Book of Common Prayer"? not improved since 1979. The Church has continued to create new services and with each new batch there is a clear indication that their PBS: Yes! What they ought to have done, following the lead of the content is doctrinally speaking moving further away from the basic Church of England and other Anglican Churches, was (a) to retain Christianity of the classic BCP. This is seen in such central areas as the classic, historical Book of Common Prayer (first edition 1549) the naming of God, the naming of Christ, the nature of salvation, sex­ and (b) to publish this 1979 Prayer Book as a "Book ofAltemative ual ethics, and so on. services" or as "An American Prayer Book." Then the new would have existed alongside the old. CaUing a Book containing a variety and choice of services by the ancient name of "The Book of Common ASB: So what is your remedy? Prayer" both misleads people and also by implication rejects the full heritage of Common Prayer in Enghsh since 1549. PBS: Unfortunately there is no simple remedy. But as a major start, the Church needs to restore the classic BCP (in which is the Ordinal and are the Articles of Rehgion) as a Formulary, so that the ECUSA ASB: So The Book of Common Prayer has only one Rite (service) has the possibihty of returning to the classic Anghcan Way. With the for Mattins, Evensong and Holy Communion and in the 1979 Book BCP retumed as a Formulary then it can be used for parish Liturgies. there are multiple forms so that the priest and parish have choice? Also, the Book which is presently called "the BCP 1979" has to he renamed as a Book ofAltemative Services, and then it can be used in PBS: Yes, and there is more. Common Prayer is an important expres­ the doctrinal light ofthe classic BCP. As to the modem developments sion with a long history, first in Latin and then in Enghsh. It points to in liturgy since 1979, these would need to be re-examined and maybe one basic, settled Form of Daily Prayer, Moming and Evening, for taken out of use. clergy and laity of the Church and also to set services with minimal intemal variation for Holy Communion, Baptism, Marriage and the Burial of the Dead. However, with this unity and common order ASB: You are talking of a revolution! comes a freedom for its provisions to be used in the parish with httle or much ceremonial, either said or sung, and at times that are accept­ PBS: Perhaps. But since the Episcopal Church acted so radically in able locally. Further, the historic Prayer Book serves not only as a the 1970s rejecting its historic foundations and trying to create new Prayer Book, providing services for every day ofthe year and for spe­ ones acceptable to the new spirit of revolution arising in the 1960s, cial occasions, but also it is an essential part of the doctrinal founda­ only a counter revolution can take this Church back + tion of the Anghcan Way, of reformed Catholicism. In other words, it is both a Liturgy and a Formulary. And it is the latter even when it is not being used as a Liturgy.

The Prayer Book Society MANDATE: March/April 2000 15 HOW DISHONEST CAN YOU GET? Some thoughts about the Episcopal Church in the 1970s and since.

ose who use the Prayer Book of the Episcopal Church dated 1979 are invited to take a look at its first 33 pages of Introductory Material. It will help if they also have by them a copy of the classic American "Book of Common Prayer" ML. d:date d 1789, or 1892 or 1928.

1. Please note the title page in the 1979 book. It is exactly the title used since the 1662 edition of the "Book of Common Prayer" through the editions of this text in America of 1789, 1892 and 1928.

2. Please look also at the Certificate on page 4, the Ratification of 1789, page 8, and the Preface from 1789 on pages 9-11. These were in the 1789, 1892 and 1928 editions ofthe BCP.

3. Only as you examine the Table of Contents of the 1979 book on pages 5 - 7 and compare it with that of say the 1928 BCP do you begin to suspect that this is a new kind of prayer book, not previously known in the Anghcan World. There are two Rites for Moming Prayer and Two Rites for Evening Prayer. Also there are multiple Eucharistic Prayers in traditional and modem English. And so on.

4. Thus now, without looking anywhere else in this book, you know that this Book cannot possibly really be the "Book of the Common Prayer", as this has been understood since 1549 in the Enghsh language and in the Churches of the Anghcan Way. Why not? Because unlike all the authentic editions of the Book of Common Prayer from 1549 to 1928 this prayer book of 1979 contains multiple choice especially for the Eucharist but also for the Daily Offices. And with varied services comes great variety in doctrine and so no common doctrine.

5. Amazingly, absolutely nowhere in the introductory pages of this 1979 Prayer Book is there an explanation of what has happened. The reader and user is NOT told in any reasoned statement or new preface that this Book is a new kind of Anghcan Prayer Book, the kind that England had already decided to call "The Altemative Service Book." In fact, the use of the ancient title of "The Common Prayer" as well as the use ofthe 1789 Preface and Ratification seems to be dehberately intended to make people think that they hold in their hands a genuine edition of the classic "Book of Common Prayer", an edition in the line of the 1662, 1789, 1892 and 1928 editions. Obviously this 1979 book is not in that tradition at all. It is a rejection of that tradition.

6. Those who were responsible for producing it and naming it knew what they were doing and one can only deduce from the evi­ dence that they intended to deceive Episcopahan laity and Anghcans abroad.

7. Why the ECUSA did not simply keep its classic BCP of 1928 in place and place alongside it a modem Prayer Book, "A Book of Altemative Services," as the rest of the Anglican Communion has done is a matter that historians will address seriously in days to come.

The Society for the Preservation of the Book of Common Prayer (The Prayer Book Society) NON-PROFIT ORG. P.O. Box 35220 US POSTAGE Philadelphia, PA 19128-0220 PAID FORT WORTH, TX Permit No. 1467